May Asks EU For A Further Brexit Extension Till June 30

European Council president Donald Tusk proposes a one-year ‘flextension’

- Vidya Ram

The U.K. and European Council president Donald Tusk appeared to be nearing a consensus on a further Brexit extension.

Prime Minister Theresa May has written to Mr. Tusk, asking for an extension till at least June 30 this year.

It comes as Mr. Tusk himself was reported to be proposing a “flextension” — an extension that could last till April next year, but could also last a much shorter period were the U.K. to break the EU deadlock before that.

In her letter, Ms. May acknowledged that if the U.K. still fails to ratify the agreement and be prepared to leave the EU by May 23, it would be under a “legal obligation” to hold the European parliamentary elections between May 23 and 26. “The government is therefore undertaking the lawful and responsible preparations for this contingency,” she assured Mr. Tusk in her letter. “The government is determined to bring this process to a resolution quickly.”

It came as the BBC reported that Mr. Tusk was considering proposing a 12-month flexible extension that could be cut short if ratification happened before that.